It has now been 10 days since the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, and the world remains in the dark as to what could have happened.
Investigations have now turned firmly towards a hijacking theory, with new evidence suggesting that the planes communications systems were deliberately disabled. This suggests that either the pilot, co-pilot, or a passenger with extensive knowledge in aircraft were responsible for the planes disappearance.
All passengers on the flight are now being investigated, as well as Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, and co-pilot Fariq Hamid.
The final words heard from the cockpit were ‘All right, good night’, delivered calmly, without any suggestion of disturbance on board. These words were delivered after the plane’s communications systems had been disabled, igniting further suspicions that the pilots were somehow involved.
Theories that the pilots may have been involved in the flight’s disappearance have focused on Captain Shah, who is said to have attended the controversial trial of Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibraham, just hours befor the flight left Kuala Lumper. Some investigators believe that the pilot could have hijacked the plane for political reasons.
Dr Sally Leivesley, a former scientific adviser in Britain’s Home Office, has suggested that the plane could have been cyber-hijacked. ‘It might well be the world’s first cyber hijack,’ she says. ‘It is looking more and more likely that the control of some systems was taken over in a deceptive manner, either manually, so someone sitting in a seat overriding the autopilot, or via a remote device turning off or overwhelming the systems.’
‘A mobile phone could have been used to do so, or a USB stick.’
Whilst it is unlikely, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that the flight could have secretly landed in an unknown location.
Read CNN’s full coverage of flight MH370 disappearance here.
Anyone seeking more information on the flight can call the airline on +60 378841234
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre is contactable on 1300 555 135.
